I'm sorry you're going through this. And, yes, it's completely normal to experience depression as you or a loved one deals with this disease.

The link below has some good information.

And if you want any info about your local resources related to cancer or support, you can call the American Cancer Society 24/7 and they can help. 1-800-ACS-2345

http://www.cancer.org/docroot/MBC/content/MBC_2_3X_Depression.asp?sitearea=MBC

My best to you.

Otter

Thanks for your comments. I haven't found the AMS to really be that helpful. They respond from scripts only and if your question doesn't fit neatly into their script, then they have very little to say.

Just found out today that the PSA continues to rise and that hormone thearpy will begin soon.

Gus, I'm sorry to hear they haven't been helpful in the past.

If they can't answer your questions from the research materials they have, they should refer you to an oncology nurse who can do in depth research and speak to you more closely about your situation.

If you decide to try again, please be aware of that option.

I will keep that in mind. In fact, I will give them a call tomorrow and try to do just that. I need to get more opinions on when is the appropriate time to start hormone thearpy. My Doc says the range varies among Doctors from .2 to 1.0. Any one have any experience with this?

Looks like that is something that is not easily determined, with no specific treatment guidelines, so a nurse might be able to help you understand the options.

http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_4X_Androgen_Suppression_Hormone_Therapy_36.asp?sitearea=

I have found multiple support mechanisms available through our local hematology/oncology. I also believe the more people participate the better the support.

I have found a Oncology seasoned psychiatrist to be very helpful. He is trained specifically in dealing with life changing illnesses.

Another area that I have found very helpful was finding the right oncologist. I was fortunate to find an oncologist that believed in treating the whole person, not just the cancer. My involvement with her has allowed me many additional years. I credit her for getting me back out of the wheel chair I was destined to spend the rest of my life in. She taught me to believe that my cancer was life changing, not life ending! She also reminded me to believe in myself.

I will also recommend a book that I found quite enjoyable. I laughed and I cried when I read it. But it was a good reminder that I wasn't the only one facing the daily challenges that cancer can and will cause. Vickie Girard is the Author, the name of the book is "There's No Place Like Hope". My oncologist recommended it. I have purchased it for every person in my life that has had to battle cancer.

I also found that journaling was a great outlet for some of the negative feelings I had. I have since destroyed the journals as I had gotten to where I didn't feel they were necessary. I also kept my friends and family very closely informed of my situation. They were very supportive in return.

I also have found that helping others was probably the single most rewarding thing I have done since diagnosis. I remember a time when I was in exceptionally bad condition. I was at a transplant center and had received the massive amounts of chemo therapy given prior to treatment. A young man that I had met and befriended during treatment sessions was kind enough to stop in and check on me. He knew how I was feeling as he had been there a short time prior. I found the very simple act of him bringing me a slushie (transplant chemo brings on severe mouth sores) brought tears to my eyes as it came across as one of the friendliest gestures a new acquaintance had done for me. It was more that he understood, not the $1.50 he spent on the slushie. It was the 10 minutes he spent to try to make me more comfortable that we both found very rewarding. I am now 6 years post transplant and we still stay in loose contact knowing the very close bond that very small very short gesture started.

You are also doing the right thing by posting here. I found a NHL specific forum for discussion to be very satisfying. All of the members could relate to those that post.

I wish you the best! Hang in there, don't stop living! Try to find the best of each day.

Gus;

I've been dealing with depression most of my life, in most cases just moving forward and refusing to slow down has been my course of treatment. Last year I had four heart attacks, a four way by-pass surgery, followed with prostate cancer. A real one-two punch I came through the surgeries pretty well, I'm cancer free now after the surgery and the heart is really good too.

Depression is part of the healing process, I sleep a lot, I'm a Christian singer and when I have a date I do it with great joy and then go home again. During all of this I lost my job, so I spend hours a day looking for a new position on the internet, generally I'm so stuck, I'm on a anti-depressive med and I can't tell you which one it is but I don't feel any different, I've been on it for a month now, no change as I see it. I just keep doing what I have to do and moving on with life. It's all I can do.